Automatic shutoff device for oil wells



1Aug. 24, 1948. @.F. 'ruREcHl-:K

AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF DEVICE FOR OIL WELLS Filed March 30, 1942 F0/62- /f' 7.9650929( BY E 20% QW ATTORNEY n Patented Aug. 24, 1948 George F. Turechek;lLos Angeles, Califqassignor to Lane-Wells Company, Los" Ange1es, Calif.,l a`

corporation-of Delaware Application March so, 1942, seriaiNn; 436,734

8 Claims.

'-My `inventionvv relatesV to automatic lshut-off devicesA for oil wells; that is; to control-means for valves which are set within a'tubing string near the topA ofthe well andare intendedto seal the tubing string should the surfacek connections be broken'andfthe'we'll caused'itoiow Imrestricted. Arnong`theA objects' off my rinvention are:

First, to provide a shut-off device which em ploys a reaction blade controlled latch so arranged that when `the torque exerted on the reaction blade by the ow of Well uids through the tubing exceeds a predetermined'value` the latch is caused to release a valve which closes the tubing; f

Second, to provide a shut-off device of this character whichI is easily lowered to position or retrieved, and, in particular,4 maybe lowered or removed Without shutting in the well, that is, the Well may continue .to flow while installing or removing the control means and its safety valve;

Third, to provide a shut-off device for well tubing safety `valves which is readily reset or opened after the valve has closed; and

Fourth, to provide a shut-ofidevice for well tubing-safety'ivalves which is ,capabley of remaining-exposed to the flow-oi fluids through the tubing for long `periods of `time-:without danger of fouling, butfrernain` free.A for operation in-the event of damage L-to the: surface connections of l the well .Which-would cause uninterrupted iiow;

Viitlrthe above'and' other objects-in'JvieW, as mayl appear hereinafter,reference-is directed to the-accompanying drawing, in Whichz. i

Figure 1 is anelevational-viewzof my device shownl in association witha safety-valve set .within alwell tubing; i M Y l Figure 2`is anv enlarged longitudinal sectional view'thro'ugh 2--72 of Figure 1; andv `FiguresS and4 arei'further enlarged transverse sectional views through33z and Il'-4,' respectively; of` FigurelZ. l

The safety valve construction linwhich my control-imeans is incorporatedV includes a tubular mandrel I having an .upwardly converging conical portionfZA at its lower end which receives slips 3. The slips have.I upwardly directedfreins 74' which aref attached to a slip "cage 5L .The slip `cage '5 has-lower'andupper collars and Lwhich are connectedlby bow springs 8. The upper collar ir'rcludesv an upwardly directed ring 19 having a shoulder over which aV suitable retrieving tool, suclras-anv overshot fishing tool; may be extended inl o'rderto` pull' up on the cageand slipsto release the slips from tlieconei The mandrel 4is initially connectedlby arxshear pin* I0`to1afsuitablecable head (not shown) or other meansior lowering the Safety valve into thefwell fboref The? appa-iratus so fari described may; for the purposes of this applicationgbe considered conventional and serves 'to lock the safetyvalvef against` upward movement in theftubingfT in whichit is :inserted and frictiorially restrain the-safety valve from dropping fin the tubing. i i I My control meansis containedwithin a'shellf-II t'vhichl isscrew1',hreaded to` the lowerfend of ythe mandrelll.' Thee shell 'I I`in` turn is connected by screw threadsto a'inipple or tubular body-fmember I 2 which is -threadediy connectedvatwits'lower end to ava-Ive sleeve/holderI3,ea1liofthese members being tubular. andfcomprising thefhousing for the valve structure hereinafterwdescribed. Molded `or otherwise secured towthevalvefsleeve holder I3 is a packingfiringnor valve sleeve-yid formed. of rubber 'or Aanalogous flexible'material, preferably one of the soecalled @synthetic rubbers Whichar'e notaffectedbyoil. The valve-sleeve is in the form of a exible, approximatelykanfnular-shaped member" which extendsldownwardly from the valve' 'sleeve-fholder-"I3i Initiallythe outer diameter of -thefflexiblef valve` sleeve -isfsuilcie'ntlyy smaller thanA the tubing in lwhiclritffits to permitfready insertiontherein and its lower portion is preferably linternally aredt slightly, or tapered Ito provide' a valve seat, Yas indicated by I5.l The` packing'ring or-Avalve sleeve I IIf-jis adaptedftomb'e urged against` the'` surrounding tubing l and the opening therethrough i closed, by a valve member or head I6, whichisinitially held below aridi` clear of the lower` end4 of-the valve sleeve-by a valve 'stern I1-.g The upper side oi thev valve headl I6* is= conical. andxlargergin diameter than thejl'ared opening through rthe valve sleeve, so that when urged upwardly it closes the opening and atthe same timeforces the-outer periphery' of 1 the packingring i againsty the surrounding tubing to forma seal.` y g n r The valve stem I'Iaextendsupwardly through the .tubular body member I2. Thetubular,body member is` provided with-a centrally.- disposed sleeveor guide. tube I8 .which accommodates the stem Il; the'y `guideV tube beingL held, infcenterel relation with the bodyfm'ember,"by-meansfof radiating webs I9: One sideV of thefguidevtube I8 is provided with fa :longitudinal slutty-20 land below the guide tubezthe stem I'liswprovidedwith a key lugor boss 2l; which isadapted'lto bear against the lower fend of` the guide tube `IBnor slide inthe v's1otf2llg The lower' endrof the guide tube I 8 is :provided withS a verticalV shoulder which bow springs 8.

ber |2,shell and mandrel forms a stop 22 to limit the arcuately offset relation between the boss 2| and slot 20, as best shown in Figure 4. The boss 2| and slot 20 in the guide tube I8 comprises a structure hereafter referred to as a latch means. Below the guide tube I8 the valve stem |1 is preferably relieved or of reduced diameter, as indicated by 23, so that there is clearance between the normally extended portion, or relieved portion 23, of the stem and the guide tube I8.

The valve stem I1 protrudes above the `guide tube I8 and receives a reaction unit 24 which comprises a hub portion 25 fitting over and secured to the stem I1, andradiating helical reaction vanes 26 which extend to the walls of the shell Il. Between the reaction unit 24 and the upper end of the guide tube I8 there is positioned a torsion and compression spring 21, one

end of which is anchored to the guide tube for i stem I1 and the other end to the lower side of the reaction unit 24. The torsion and compression spring 21 is so arranged that it urges the boss 2| against its stop 22, and the vanes of the reaction unit are so arranged that the fluid owing through the annular passage between the tubular body member I2 and the sleeve I6 tends to rotate the reaction unit 24 and therefore the valve stem in opposition to the spring 21; that is, in a direction to bring the boss 2| into registry with the slot 20. vIn addition, the torsion and 'compression spring urges the reaction unit 24 upwardly so that once the boss 2| aligns with the slot l20 the valve head is moved upwardly into engagement with the valve sleeve |4.

The "valve stem I1 is tubular, forming a release passage 28 therethrough. The upper end of the valve stem receives a relief valve 29, preferably in the form of a ball check valve, which seals against upward `flow through the valve stern. Above the relief valve is a small plunger 30 which is adapted to be engaged from the upper end of the valve stem to open the relief valve. i Operation of my control means is as follows: 'The entire assembly is lowered into a well tubing vby means of a wire rope to which is attached a suitable weight bar in order to force the safety valve downwardly against the friction of the When vthe desired location is reached the cable is pulled; upwardly, causing the cone 2 to wedge between the slips 3, locklng the safety valve in place; thereupon the shear pin gives way and the wire rope may beremoved.

Initially and normally, the valve head I6 is open and the well production flows upwardly through the valve sleeve I4, tubular body mem- The tension of the spring 21 is so adjusted and the shape of the reaction blades 26 is such that the torque exerted by the well fluid under normal conditions, that is, under the predetermined flow conditions, is insufllcient'to rotate the reaction unit against the action of the spring 21, so that the boss 2| remains seated against the lower end of the guide tube |8. When,'however, the flow of fluids through the tubing exceeds a predetermined value, as wouldl be the case if the connections at the top of the well were broken, the well fluids impinge upon the reaction blades 26 Iwith suiiicientforce to overcome the spring 21 and cause the boss 2| to move into the slot 20, whereupon the tension spring raises the valve head I6 into engagement with lower end of the valve sleeve I 4. `The pressure differential created above and below the valve sleeve, upon being closed by the valve head, forces the valve sleeve into sealing engagement with the surrounding tubing and the valve head is jammed tightly within the packing ring or valve sleeve so that the tubing is completely sealed.

It is contemplated to use safety valves in wells in which there is considerable tubing pressure so that there is adequate pressure to maintain the valve closed once it has engaged the sleeve. Furthermore, a comparatively loose fit may exist between the packing sleeve and the surrounding tubing, and still insure sucient pressure differential above and below the sleeve once its internal passage is closed to urge it outwardly against the tubing. It should be noted that the particular embodiment of the packer or valve sleeve I4 and valve I6 disclosed is by way of illustration only, being the subject matter of a copending application of Lloyd Spencer, entitled Automatic shut-off apparatus for oil wells, filed March 30, 1942, Serial No. 436,733.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scope of the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention.

I claim:

1. An automatic shut-off device for oil wells, comprising: a valve structure including a valve member movable from an open to a closed position in the direction of flow of fluids through the valve structure; a latch means having a first position holding said valve member open and rotatable to a second position to release said valve; a combined torque and compression spring for urging said latch means into said rst position and for urging said valve to its c-losed position when said latch means is moved to its second position; and reaction means disposed in the flow stream of fluid passing through said valve structure and acted upon by said flow stream to turn said latch means from said rst to said second position.

2. An automatic shut-off device for oil wells, comprising: a valve structure including a valve member movable from an open to a closed-position in the direction of flow of fluids through the valve structure; a latch means having a first position holding said valve member open and rotatable to a second position to release said valve; a combined torque and compression spring for urging said latch means into said first position and for urging said valve to its closed position when said latch means is moved to its second position; and reaction van'es disposed in the flow stream ofyfluid passing through said valve structure in angular relation thereto whereby the fluid exerts a torque in opposition to said yieldable means tending to move said latch means from said first to said second position.

3. A well shut-01T device adapted to be secured within a tubing and comprising: a tubular body member; an expansible valve sleeve at the lower end of said body member; a valve member located below the valve sleeve and adapted to move upwardly to close said sleeve and urge said sleeve against a surrounding tubing, said valve member including a stem extending through said sleeve into said body member; a guide tube for said stem Within said body member, said guide tube having a longitudinal slot therein intersecting its lower end and a shoulder at its ylower end offset arcuately from said slot; said stem having a boss adapted to bear against the lower end of said guide tube and move from said shoulder to said slot; a torque spring around said stem and positioned to urge said boss away from said slot and against said shoulder; and a reaction means on said stem adapted to be impinged upon by fluid passing around said valve member, to exert a torque tending to move said boss into said longitudinal slot against the action of said spring.

4. A well shut-olf device adapted to be secured within a tubing string and comprising: a tubular body member; a valve seat at the lower end of said body member; a valve member depending below said body member, including a stem extending upwardly into said body member; a guide tube for said stem within said body member, said guide tube having a longitudinal slot therein intersecting its lower end and a. shoulder at its lower end offset arcuately from said slot; said stem having a boss adapted to bear against the lower end of said guide tube and move from said shoulder to said slot; a torque spring around said stem and positioned to urge said boss away from said slot and against said shoulder; and a reaction means on said stem adapted to be impinged upon by fluid passing around said valve member to exert a torque tending to move said boss into said longitudinal slot against the action of said spring.

5. A shut-ofi` device adapted to be secured within a tubing and comprising: an expansible valve sleeve; a valve member associated with said valve sleeve and adapted to move between an open and a. closed position with respect to the opening through said valve sleeve and in the closed position to expand said valve sleeve into sealing engagement with a surrounding tubing; and means normally restraining said valve member to an open position and responsive to a predetermined iiuid iiow in the tubing for releasing said valve member for movement into the said closed position.

6. A shut-off device adapted to be secured within a tubing and comprising: an expansible valve sleeve; a valve member associated with said valve sleeve and adapted to move between an open and a closed position with respect to the opening through said valve sleeve and in the closed position to expand said valve sleeve into sealing engagement with a surrounding tubing; means urging said valve member into the closed position; and means normally restraining said valve member to an open position and responsive to a predetermined fluid iiow in the tubing for releasing said valve member for movement into the said closed position.

7. A shut-off device adapted to be secured within a tubing and comprising: an expanslble valve sleeve; a valve member associated with said valve sleeve and adapted to move between an open and a closed position with respect to said valve sleeve and in the closed position to expand said valve sleeve into sealing engagement with a surrounding tubing; a latch means having a rst position holding said valve member in the open position and a second position releasing said valve member for movement to the closed position, and means responsive to a predetermined fluid 110W in the tubing for moving said latch means from said first position to said second position.

i tion.

8. A shut-off device adapted to be secured Within a tubing and comprising: an expansible valve sleeve; a valve member associated with said valve sleeve and adapted to move between an open and a closed position with respect to said valve sleeve and in the closed position to expand said valve sleeve into sealing engagement with a surrounding tubing; a latch means having a first position holding said valve member in the open position and a second position releasing said valve member for movement to the closed position; means responsive to a predetermined fluid flow in the tubing for moving said latch means from said rst position to said second position; and means urging said valve member into the closed posi- GEORGE F. TURECHEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 524,393 Neely Aug. 14, 1894 1,102,960 Schindler July 7, 1914 2,093,015 Madden Sept. 14, 1937 2,127,849 Stone Aug. 23, 1938 2,196,535 Otis Apr. 9, 1940 2,233,077 Gillespie et al. Feb. 25, 1941 2,282,987 Bennett May 12, 1942 2,288,605 Boynton June 7, 1942 2,378,374 Roe June 19, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 107,434 Great Britain 1917 

